Nicholas Sparks

"The story of an injured army doctor connecting with a beautiful deputy and a mysterious teenage girl, both whose secrets will change the course of his life"--

The Return

A house full of love. A house full of secrets. #1 New York Times bestselling author Nicholas Sparks is back with his best novel yet. * Trevor Benson never intended to return to North Carolina. But here he is, back where it all began. Trevor found himself unable to resist the call home when he inherited a tumbledown cabin from his grandfather. He's come back to live the simple life but nothing here is simple. There's Callie, the sullen local teenager who seems to know more than she should about Trevor's grandfather's death. And there's Natalie, the deputy sheriff intent on making a point and lingering in Trevor's mind long after she's left his porch. In a bid to unravel Natalie and Callie's secrets and to find out what really happened to his grandfather, Trevor is about to learn more than he's bargained for - that sometimes, in order to move forward, we have to return to the place where it all began. Praise for Nicholas Sparks: 'A fiercely romantic and touching tale' Heat 'An A-grade romantic read' OK! 'Pulls at the heartstrings' Sunday Times 'An absorbing page-turner' Daily Mail 'This one won't leave a dry eye' Daily Mirror

The heart-wrenching new novel from the bestselling author of The Notebook

Caroline

"No need to stock up on boxes of tissue paper, be ready for a lesson on bee keeping, expect a small romantic story which was not so romantic after all and finally dome that investigators hat before you embark on this journey with nicholas Sparks". 

Unlike other books by Nicholas Sparks, the Return is quite different from what one would expect. While this book fails on a teary eyed love story front, the mystery part helps keep one hooked on. The characters of Trevor Benson and Callie though quite likeble, could be have been more evolved. On the other hand, the character of Natalie and her secret totally failed to shock me. 

But on the positive side, the lesson on bees and bee keeping was interesting, the hint of mystery does make one want to finished this book. Other than that The Return is not Nicholas Sparks fine working, I bet I have read better one's in the past.

Liked it for the suspense that teenage girl arc provided, but a tad bit disappointed how Sparks tied the ending 

Ipshita Kanungo

Jenelle andersen

Caroll-Ann

** spoiler alert **
           It’s a really good book, but somehow there was something missing for me. Maybe I wanted there to be more about Callie in the book and everything she went through after running away. Also I didn’t really vibe with Trevor and Natalie’s relationship and the fact that he told her he loved her after the third time seeing her w/o even talking to her that much. Don’t know why but I even wrote down as a note “creepy” when I read that 😂 anyway, the book was still enjoyable.

Kerry Kalinoski

If you’ve read one Nicholas sparks book you’ve read them all. Not bad but like another military man in North Carolina meets a troubled girl from a small town

I think The Return had potential, the plot seemed interesting and the overall premise was enough to catch my eye but it really just fell a bit flat. There was far too much internal monologue and unnecessary information, it tended to drone on a bit and there were points where I ended up skipping ahead a bit. I think if grandpa Carl's riddle had been more of a mystery, who-dun-it trope, if Trevor and Natalie's relationship had been just a bit more scandalous and Callie's rebellion a tad more captivating this would've been a really good read. I think this was just okay, nothing great, easy reading small town fluff - and to be honest that was what I was looking for. Just wish it had a bit more omph!!

Genevieve 

3.75 ⭐

I think The Return had potential, the plot seemed interesting and the overall premise was enough to catch my eye but it really just fell a bit flat. There was far too much internal monologue and unnecessary information, it tended to drone on a bit and there were points where I ended up skipping ahead a bit. I think if grandpa Carl's riddle had been more of a mystery, who-dun-it trope, if Trevor and Natalie's relationship had been just a bit more scandalous and Callie's rebellion a tad more captivating this would've been a really good read. I think this was just okay, nothing great, easy reading small town fluff - and to be honest that was what I was looking for. Just wish it had a bit more omph!!

Hannah Riddle

I would give this one 3.5/5 stars. Not the best Nicholas Sparks book I’ve read. The beginning of the book is very easy to read, but towards the middle it starts to drag, then picks back up again towards the end. Expected a bit more romance out of this one but the book was 50% romance, 50% mystery. Would recommend to someone that wants an easy read!

Mary Cullen

nicky you’ve done it again. i will admit the middle of this book is kind of bland but it’s fine because the end makes up for it. exactly what i needed thank you

Isabelle Dion

Usually a fan of Sparks books because of his character building and tear-jerking storylines, but this was not that. At all. Not only did I not get "attached" to any of the characters, but I also found the love story to not be believeable. Which, I mean, what is a Nicholas Sparks novel without an epic love story?

Bella Brain

Shannon Lamoree

Gabriela Morales

In the romantic tradition of Dear John, Nicholas Sparks returns with the story of an injured Navy doctor -- and two women whose secrets will change the course of his life in this #1 New York Times bestseller. Trevor Benson never intended to move back to New Bern, North Carolina. But when a mortar blast outside the hospital where he worked sent him home from Afghanistan with devastating injuries, the dilapidated cabin he'd inherited from his grandfather seemed as good a place to regroup as any. Tending to his grandfather's beloved beehives, Trevor isn't prepared to fall in love with a local . . . yet, from their very first encounter, Trevor feels a connection with deputy sheriff Natalie Masterson that he can't ignore. But even as she seems to reciprocate his feelings, she remains frustratingly distant, making Trevor wonder what she's hiding. Further complicating his stay in New Bern is the presence of a sullen teenage girl, Callie, who lives in the trailer park down the road. Trevor hopes Callie can shed light on the mysterious circumstances of his grandfather's death, but she offers few clues -- until a crisis triggers a race to uncover the true nature of Callie's past, one more intertwined with the elderly man's passing than Trevor could ever have imagined. In his quest to unravel Natalie and Callie's secrets, Trevor will learn the true meaning of love and forgiveness . . . and that in life, to move forward, we must often return to the place where it all began.

The Return

Reviews